Festival of Instrumental Music
The Festival of Instrumental Music (FoIM) presents 4 concerts of diverse repertoire at the Sydney Opera House. School recorder and string groups comprising students from Years 3 to 6 join together to form the combined recorder and string ensembles. As well as their individual pieces, these 2 ensembles will perform a combined item to conclude the concerts.
Teachers access quality professional learning and repertoire to support their recorder and string ensembles.
2025 key dates
Applications for the Festival of Instrumental Music 2025 are now open and will close on Friday 6 December.
- Performance dates – Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 August (Term 3 Week 6) and Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 September (Term 3 Week 8)
- Sydney preliminary rehearsals – Monday 23 to Thursday 26 June (Term 2 Week 9)
- Teacher workshops – Wednesday 12 February (recorders) and Thursday 13 February (strings) Term 1 Week 3
2025 concert dates at Sydney Opera House
- Acacia Concert: Monday 25 August 2025
- Banksia Concert: Tuesday 26 August 2025
- Jacaranda Concert: Monday 8 September 2025
- Mimosa Concert: Tuesday 9 September 2025
Preliminary rehearsals
All participating schools attend a preliminary rehearsal in Term 2 to prepare students for the concerts.
Sydney preliminary rehearsals will be held at Marsden High School (recorders) and Meadowbank Public School (strings), 6 Rhodes Street, Meadowbank, an easy 6-minute walk from Meadowbank train station.
- Acacia rehearsal: Monday 23 June 2025, 10 am to 1:30 pm
- Banksia rehearsal: Tuesday 24 June 2025, 10 am to 1:30 pm
- Jacaranda rehearsal: Wednesday 25 June 2025, 10 am to 1:30 pm
- Mimosa rehearsal: Thursday 26 June 2025, 10 am to 1:30 pm
Non-metropolitan schools will either host or attend a 4-hour Regional preliminary rehearsal with other nearby participating schools during Term 2, as negotiated with Luke Wallace.
Cost
- Participation fee of $40.00 per student will be payable upon acceptance into the program.
- A rural and remote subsidy of 25% will be offered to all students attending from rural and remote schools as identified by the Department.
Professional learning and resources
- At least one teacher from each participating school should attend the Festival of Instrumental Music - teachers’ professional development workshop at the Conservatorium of Music on Wednesday 12 February (recorders) or Thursday 13 February (strings) 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
- All teachers from all public schools – regardless of their involvement in the festival - are welcome to attend these workshops. Please register by Friday 7 February 2025.
- A range of online repertoire resources will become available at the beginning of the year.
- Each participating student and teacher will receive a specially designed T-shirt to wear at the performance.
Featured items
In 2025 performance opportunities are available for outstanding instrumental and vocal items at the Festival of Instrumental Music, Festival of Choral Music, and Primary Proms. These opportunities are open to all public school students and can include music ensembles of all sizes, large or small – including soloists and choirs. Applications for Featured items will open in Term 1 2025.
Enquiries
For further information concerning the Festival of Instrumental Music please contact concerts.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au
Enquiries
All Arts Unit programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in the Festival of Instrumental Music, please email concerts.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au so that we can assist.
